Mouton delivers message of growth and hope

Published 4:37 am, Monday, March 2, 2015

Doris Crabtree accepts a bouquet in honor of her late husband, Ron Crabtree.

Doris Crabtree accepts a bouquet in honor of her late husband, Ron Crabtree.

Photo: Stacey Glaesmann

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Chamber Chairman of the Board Brock Bihm

Chamber Chairman of the Board Brock Bihm

Photo: Stacey Glaesmann

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Chamber President/CEO Tim Culp

Chamber President/CEO Tim Culp

Photo: Stacey Glaesmann

Mouton delivers message of growth and hope

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The Deer Park Chamber of Commerce hosted its State of the City event on Thursday (Feb. 26) at the Jimmy Burke Activity Center, located at 500 W. 13th St.

After the presentation of colors by the Deer Park Police Dept. Honor Guard and the Pledge of Allegiance, Chairman of the Board Brock Bihm welcomed the crowd and thanked the city, county and state officials in attendance. Chamber President/CEO Tim Culp made announcements regarding Chamber activities and introduced a special introductory video produced by broadcast journalism students in the Deer Park High School Technology Department, which had attendees laughing.

The video ended with the introduction of Mayor Jerry Mouton, Jr., who dedicated the event to former City Manager Ron Crabtree.

Crabtree acted as City Manager from 1988 - 2010. He passed away suddenly in June 2014.

Mouton recognized local partnerships with Deer Park ISD, San Jacinto College, Harris County, the Harris County Flood Control District and Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Jack Morman.

Among the city’s partnership accomplishments in 2014 were several street pavement improvements, sanitary sewer rehabilitation, the completion of a Sidewalk Improvement Project, expansion of City Hall’s parking lot, drainage improvements, the expansion of the parking lot for Fire Station #3, and the completion of a Water Line Improvement Project.

Patrick’s Bayou Detention Basin was also completed in 2014, vastly improving conditions to prevent flooding in the area, which has been problematic for decades.

The city and its partners are looking ahead to the implementation of a Master Plan for parks and beautification projects, adding signage around the city for improved navigation, building a 38.8-acre Wetlands Park with a $400,000 grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife and building a splash pad at Dow Park.

Public Works projects for the upcoming year include a sanitary sewer overflow, several street reconstruction projects, a Water Line Pipe Bursting Project, the rehabilitation of the ground storage tank on P St. and a Water Line Improvement Project.

The Deer Park Public Library was one of only 39 libraries out of the 555 in Texas to receive the Achievement of Library Excellence Award from the Municipal Library Directors Association.

Mayor Mouton showed slides of the Deer Park Gateway Plan, which will contain two of 10 themed gateway projects of the San Jacinto Historic District. These gateways will be located at Center at Railroad St. and Center at Spencer Hwy.

For the first time since the 1960’s, the City is updating the Comprehensive Plan, which will take approximately 14 months to complete.

Mouton spoke about Deer Park’s growth, saying that $20.5 million in residential permits and $25.7 million in commercial permits were issued in 2014. He also mentioned several new restaurants, strip centers and stores that have moved into the area, including Smashburger and H-E-B.

To further demonstrate the growth explosion, Mouton showed a slide that contrasted the city’s hotel/motel tax revenue in 2004, which was $163,000, with revenue in 2014, which was $707,000.

The Finance Dept. received the Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the 27th straight year. It was also awarded the Platinum Leadership Circle Award, which is the highest level of achievement granted by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

New agreements were negotiated with companies in the City’s industrial district to encourage new investment/expansion. The term of the agreement expires in 2026, and includes companies such as AkzoNobel, Vopak, Clean Harbors, Ashland, Solvay and Praxair.

Mayor Mouton announced the city’s new PR/Marketing Specialist, Kristin Edwards, who will coordinate all public relations, communications and marketing activities for the City of Deer Park, including visitor promotions.

Mouton announced that the city has contracted with an architect to move forward with the renovation of the Jimmy Burke Activity Center project, which includes the construction of a new Visitors Center.

Public safety also made big strides in 2014. The Deer Park Crime Control Prevention District established a Citizens on Patrol program, purchased new 700 megahertz radios, scouted the location and began construction of a new gun range, implemented a Chaplain Program, a Victims’ Services Program and a Citizens on Park Patrol program, which brings in revenue via ticketing of vehicles illegally parked in handicap parking spaces.